CH Treatment and IFBT

It has been noted in trip reports recently that the policy has changed regarding on board treatments. It used to be that if you had had a treatment in the lounge, you were a lower priority on board (fair enough, I say), but that you could still receive a treatment depending on loads and how many wanted to sleep etc. You were also entitled to a priority card if you didn't receive a treatment on board which you could use next time. Now the policy has changed so that you definitely don't receive a treatment on board and neither do you receive a priority card.

I just wonder why the need for the change in policy. The therapist is paid for the flight, not by the treatment, so it doesn't cost Virgin any more money to allow passengers to have a treatment on the ground and in the air. The therapist can only do what they can do and as long as those who haven't had a lounge treatment get priority, why can't the therapist just keep busy and offer as many treatments as possible in the flight (given any rest which may be required)?

Incidentally, I asked an IFBT what would happen if there were only three passengers in Upper but one of them had received a treatment in the lounge. She said that she would consider offering them a treatment, but certainly wouldn't be obliged to do so.

Why upset Upper Class passengers when there is no obvious benefit to the airline? Perhaps I am missing the point???

Regards

EC

[preiffer]

So, what if I have a treatment in the Clubhouse AND have a priority card from a previous flight...? [:?]

[HighFlyer]

Originally posted by preiffer
So, what if I have a treatment in the Clubhouse AND have a priority card from a previous flight...? [:?]

Good call, as that will be my situation for my next flight.

Thanks,
Sarah

As a Gatwick flyer, we never get the priority cards for some reason....

[RichardMannion]

Originally posted by AlanA
As a Gatwick flyer, we never get the priority cards for some reason....

You could always fly from Heathrow

Anyway, if you have a Prority Card then it's still valid.

Thanks,
Richard

[preiffer]

Originally posted by RichardMannion
You could always fly from Heathrow

Anyway, if you have a Prority Card then it's still valid.

Thanks,
Richard

Cool - I still have ten or twenty of them somewhere...! [:0]

There are things which VS do from time to time, which don't entirely seem to make sense.

The obvious thing to say when the IFBT makes the introduction is to say somehing like:

"Hi, I'm X, the Inflight Therapist. I understand that you've had a treatment before today's flight in the Clubhouse. That means I'll need to give priority to those who didn't manage to get a treatment beforehand, but if I do get time, I will come back and offer if you a treatment, if you are still interested?"

One question I have is does taking a shower count as a "treatment"? I notice they take name and flight details even for a shower now. I think it's a bit tight and weaselly if they consider a shower, or a go in the hot tub, as a "treatment".

As Edna says, if the load is light, and the IFBT is there, why shouldn't she offer a treatment to those who had recieved something in the Clubhouse? Seems like a good use of "marginal capacity" to me, which was something I thought the airlines were good at!

Mike

[Decker]

I wasn't aware that it was a DEFINITE "we won't treat you" (or otherwise why ask your preference) but more a "you're last on the the list and you DEFINITELY won't get a priority card".

Originally posted by RichardMannion

Originally posted by AlanA
As a Gatwick flyer, we never get the priority cards for some reason....

You could always fly from Heathrow

Thanks,
Richard

Tried that, but the crew refused to go to Orlando, instead wanted to go to Miami.
You pay all that money for a seat and they won't take you where you want to go.
Virgin service has really gone downhill [:o)][:o)]

What treatments are available on board that are not in the Clubhouse ( ok I know about the hair cut and shave)

Most of the ground treatments are available in the air - it is just the following that are not available - cowgroom, shave treatment, facial, collagen eye treatment, Manicure, shoulder and neck massage, leg and foot massage, eyebrow tidy, file and paint,St tropez tan, Hair cut, neck and sideburn tidy, fringe trim, wash and blow dry, Bb Deep treatment and Bb quick dry styling. [ii] Of course you cannot have a shower (unless you are kinky) or a hot tub in the plane either.

For someone who flys sooo regularly in UC, I am surprise you were not aware that there is not a Bb or Cowshed in the plane.

BTW - I found this information by doing a search - would you like to spell that for you - S, E, A, R, C, H - as well as looking at the publicly available information on Virgin's website.

MMM I have been told several times recently that "since you had a treatment" on the ground (of any type) that means you cannot have IFBT therapy.

Someone said recently that VS should scrap the on board therapy, I agree. It's become rather silly if as peeps have said the load is light the IFBT doesn't do to much.

[Scrooge]

Originally posted by slinky09
MMM I have been told several times recently that "since you had a treatment" on the ground (of any type) that means you cannot have IFBT therapy.

Someone said recently that VS should scrap the on board therapy, I agree. It's become rather silly if as peeps have said the load is light the IFBT doesn't do to much.

Actually I agree with this, take the money spent on the IFBT and add a crew member (right that is going to happen), take the extra revenue generated with the extra seat and put it towards bringing back some of the other perks in the UC cabin that were lost (again right thats going to happen) and stop telling people they had a treatment in the CH when they didn't even go to the club house......that did happen.

[RichardMannion]

Originally posted by Scrooge

Originally posted by slinky09
MMM I have been told several times recently that "since you had a treatment" on the ground (of any type) that means you cannot have IFBT therapy.

Someone said recently that VS should scrap the on board therapy, I agree. It's become rather silly if as peeps have said the load is light the IFBT doesn't do to much.

Actually I agree with this, take the money spent on the IFBT and add a crew member (right that is going to happen), take the extra revenue generated with the extra seat and put it towards bringing back some of the other perks in the UC cabin that were lost (again right thats going to happen) and stop telling people they had a treatment in the CH when they didn't even go to the club house......that did happen.

Ahh but then you lose a marketing hook....

[preiffer]

Originally posted by RichardMannion

Ahh but then you lose a marketing hook....

True, but at least the company bears the brunt of having to "come clean", rather than leaving it to the front-line staff (IFBT) to break the news and dash passengers' perception of a service that doesn't *actually* exist. [:w]

VS, I believe, have an escalating problem where more and more people are beginning to question a lot of the promises the marketing guys make. If you offer a service as part of a package, it MUST be available - otherwise, you've failed to offer the package you sold.


To take it one further, given that "pig tarts" (cakes with little pigs on the top) have just been banned in my home town because Trading Standards say you can't call them that unless there's real pig in them - I wonder how far beyond the line VS go with a lot of their current claims.


Asterisks & "see terms & conditions" galore... [n]

VS, I believe, have an escalating problem where more and more people are beginning to question a lot of the promises the marketing guys make. If you offer a service as part of a package, it MUST be available - otherwise, you've failed to offer the package you sold.

Could not agree more Pete. IFBT, Priority Boarding and Baggage Reclaim to name but a few.

-Steve

How do they know you have had a treatment in the lounge? I almost always get my haircut and the IFBT has never mentioned it.

Originally posted by preiffer
So, what if I have a treatment in the Clubhouse AND have a priority card from a previous flight...? [:?]

The answer on the one occasion I have been in this position was yes, you get a treatment. I generously donated one of my spare priority cards to my travelling companion who'd already had a treatment in the CH.

Howard

Originally posted by manymiles
How do they know you have had a treatment in the lounge? I almost always get my haircut and the IFBT has never mentioned it.

The IFBT gets a list sent to the gate from the Clubhouse.

Mike

[Decker]

I know this is naughty but I think I might try telling them I'm on a later flight next time...

[honey lamb]

Originally posted by Decker
I know this is naughty but I think I might try telling them I'm on a later flight next time...

And then they might give you a slot for a later time - after your original flight has boarded [}:)]

The main reason that the IFBT is no longer treating those people who have had a treatment in the clubhouse is because she can only treat a maximum of about 10 or 12 pax on a normal length flight, there is no way that she can get round all 45 pax, and so to make it a little fairer for those who haven't had a treatment in the CH, those are the passengers that get targeted.

You say that they should do away with the IFBT, however seeing as they are busy every flight, even if the load is light (I've known some to offer treatments to premium), then I'd say its a great marketing tool, it would be a different story if every flight no one wanted a treatment.

[Decker]

Hi there XWS23 and welcome to V-Flyer.

I don't think anyone disagrees with targeting but if you say that a benefit of flying UC is the IFBT then the IFBT ought to be available. To quote from the VS site :-

"With our inflight beauty therapy you'll arrive at your destination looking good and feeling even better.

Choose from a rejuvenating hand or back massage provided at your seat or in the dedicated therapy area * :

* Helping Hands - Zone Therapy - Invigorating massage that will calm and alleviate headaches.
* Hot Hands - The hands are exfoliated, massaged and a nourishing mask applied.
* Handsome Hands - A 'mini' manicure, incorporating a file, buff and cuticle work using luxurious products.
* Back in the Clouds - This massage targets the upper back, shoulders, neck and scalp. "

The "*" leads to a disclaimer - NOT as you may think "we can only treat 1/4 of the pax on any one flight so you'll be treated if we can AFTER prioritising people who weren't seen in the Club House" but "Inflight beauty therapy is available on flights to and from Heathrow.".

You see fairness shouldn't come into it - truth in advertising ought to be the primary point here. If you advertise something as being "part of the service" - with no caveats - then it ought to be provided to everyone who wants it. Imagine if only 1/4 of the UC Pax got a suite and the remainder got J-2000 (well on a day flight they might not complain) and the response was "well you used the lounge and probably used the comfortable leather sofas"...

Anyhow please keep pitching in - we welcome all views here .

[RichardMannion]

Originally posted by xws23
The main reason that the IFBT is no longer treating those people who have had a treatment in the clubhouse is because she can only treat a maximum of about 10 or 12 pax on a normal length flight, there is no way that she can get round all 45 pax, and so to make it a little fairer for those who haven't had a treatment in the CH, those are the passengers that get targeted.

You say that they should do away with the IFBT, however seeing as they are busy every flight, even if the load is light (I've known some to offer treatments to premium), then I'd say its a great marketing tool, it would be a different story if every flight no one wanted a treatment.

Hi there,

I understand the logistics, but there are a few assumptions there.

10-12 pax on a normal length flight, what is that defined as? If it's 6 hours, then that's 2 passengers per hour. Or if we are talking a 10-12 hour flight then it's only 1. Now I realise that crew have to have a rest but the numbers just don't add up.

Assumption that J is full and that all passengers are wanting a treatment. I'm not disputing the fact that if there are customers in J that didn't get a treatment in a LON CH, then they should be first priority (after pax with priority cards) if they actually want a treatment onboard. What I do have an issue with, is when the IFBT takes the easy life and skips over passengers because they have already had a treatment in the CH completely, even when the list of other customers in J that want a treatment onboard has been completed. This I have seen a few times now.

Obviously not all IFBT's are the same, on the whole yes they are busy every flight with customers but some are not, even though there are customers that would like a treatment but are ignored because of a prior treatment in the CH.

Now if I was to be on a flight where the IFBT started to treat W passengers instead of J passengers that wanted a treatment (but had already received one in the CH) then I would not be amused in the slightest.

What next, 'I'm sorry sir you had a meal in the ClubHouse, so we are going to feed the other customers first' or 'Sorry, we only have x steaks and we are giving priority to those that didn't eat in the CH'?

Not intending to have a dig, but it smacks a little harsh and distorting the marketing spin.

Thanks,
Richard

[honey lamb]

I thought that the limit was not to the number of passengers who could be treated but to the number of massages that the IFBT can do for health and safety reasons. For that reason I have tended to ask for a hand treatment or a manicure and for the most part have had one on board even though I may have had a treatment in the Clubhouse